05 August 2010

Press release

Protest march makes 'clear statement of concern' for Pakistan's minorities

As President Asif Ali Zardari faces criticism for visiting Britain while a natural disaster ravages Pakistan, a hundred protestors have been demonstrating serious concerns over increasing pressure on minorities in Pakistan by staging a London rally.

Multi-faith campaigners led by the British Pakistani Christian Association (BPCA) and supported by the South Asian Forum of the Evangelical Alliance paraded London's streets on Saturday calling for the repeal of Pakistan's Blasphemy laws. Petitions were submitted at the Pakistan High Commission and Downing Street, while representatives from Hindu, Sikh and Christian human rights groups joined former Bishop of Rochester Michael Nazir Ali, the former Christian Peoples Alliance Councillor Alan Craig and MEP Jean Lambert, in speaking out against injustices in Pakistan.

The multi-faith peace rally follows recent threats of violence towards Christians in Pakistan and the tragic anniversary of a massacre in Pakistani's Punjab province.

Robin Thomson from South Asian Forum said: "The peace march was a clear statement of our concern for the peace and security of all the people of Pakistan, as we joined with others of different faiths. At the same time it was clearly in the name of Jesus, as we knelt on the pavement to pray the Lord's Prayer in Piccadilly and Whitehall."

Wilson Chowdhry of the British Pakistani Christian Association said: "Following the protest we continue to raise a voice for religious minorities in Pakistan. A group of Pakistani Christians, protested outside the hotel where Pakistan's President has been staying on Tuesday. We urged the Government for the repeal of Pakistan's Blasphemy Law, allowing for the protection of individuals of all faiths."

Media Enquiries

Notes to Editors

The Evangelical Alliance We are the largest and oldest body representing the UK’s two million evangelical Christians. For more than 165 years, we have been bringing Christians together and helping them listen to, and be heard by, the government, media and society. We’re here to connect people for a shared mission, whether it’s celebrating the Bible, making a difference in our communities or lobbying the government for a better society. From Skye to Southampton, from Coleraine to Cardiff, we work across 79 denominations, 3,500 churches, 750 organisations and thousands of individual members. And we're not just uniting Christians within the UK – we are a founding member of the World Evangelical Alliance, a global network of more than 600 million evangelical Christians. For more information, go to www.eauk.org.